Pittsburgh, Pa. − January 28, 2025 − Senator Lindsey M. Williams, Minority Chair of the Senate Education Committee, issues the following statement:
This morning, Head Start providers around the country discovered that they were locked out of the federal Head Start system as a result of a “freeze” initiated by President Trump. Later this afternoon, the National Head Start Association said that access to the payment system was restored.
There continue to be more questions than answers right now, but I do know one thing: any freeze of money to our childcare centers will be catastrophic to Pennsylvania families and to our economy.
Our workforce cannot function without reliable, safe, affordable, and accessible childcare. Parents and caregivers cannot go to work if they do not have a safe place to send their children. It has already been a struggle for families to find childcare that they can afford. Stripping away a single federal or state dollar will have a dramatic impact on families and the caregivers we rely on.
I know the White House and the oligarchs that are pulling the strings have never had to worry about childcare. But most Americans worry, and actions like those taken today show how little they care about the hardworking people who have made them billionaires.
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